Limitless Word
That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.
John 12:18 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
  • KJV For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
  • BSB That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
  • NKJV For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
  • NASB For this reason also the people went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The crowd met Jesus because they heard of the Lazarus sign. The miracle draws the multitude to him.

Overview

John links the great reception to reports of the raising of Lazarus. The sign functions as it should, directing attention to Jesus. The verse underscores how Jesus' works gather people, even as that very acclaim provokes the authorities' resolve to destroy him.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 1

  • John 12:11because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 12:18YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 12:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.